The findings of a multi-institution team of researchers give key insight into genetic changes that take place in the most common form of lung cancer, lung adenocarcinoma.Members of the Tumor Sequencing Project (TSP) consortium have successfully identified 26 genes that are frequently mutated in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. These findings more than double the number of genes previously known to be associated with the deadly disease. Beyond identification, the TSP team also detailed key pathways involved in the disease and found patterns of mutation common among different subgroups of lung cancer patients.

The hoary metaphor of the war on cancer, as overused as it may be, is as evocative as ever to describe our efforts to beat the disease that will claim nearly 566,000 American lives this year alone. So let’s fall back on martial imagery to describe our current position: We now know the enemy far better than ever before. And that promises much more precise targets.

America has grown complacent in its war on cancer, so it must redouble its efforts to defeat this often-deadly disease. And the leadership for this campaign must come directly from the White House.That’s the assessment of a report, Maximizing Our Nation’s Investment in Cancer, released Thursday by the President’s Cancer Panel, which calls for a three-pronged approach to defeat this “bioterrorist within.”

Naming Cancer the ‘Bioterrorist Within,’ Panel Stresses the Urgent Need to Make Cancer a National Priority

The findings, published in the journal Nature, double the number of genes already linked with lung adenocarcinoma.

 huge study funded by the National Institutes of Health triples the number of genes linked to lung cancer and points toward new treatments.The study analyzed DNA sequences from 623 genes in tumor samples from 188 patients with lung adenocarcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer.

One of the most promising recent developments in cancer medicine has been the dramatic responses of some patients with lung cancer to the drugs gefitinib (Iressa) and erlotinib (Tarceva). Although only about 10 percent of patients with lung cancer respond in this way, a larger group experiences prolonged survival and an improvement in symptoms. Unfortunately, the best way to identify candidates for these drugs, called EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), is not yet clear.

 Lung Cancer kills more people than breast, colon and prostate cancers combined, yet funding for the top cancer killer just doesn’t add up.

Raising money for breast cancer is a lot easier. In fact, significantly fewer dollars are given to lung cancer research. That’s likely because smoking causes most lung cancer, and creates a stigma around the disease

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics, Ltd. a biotechnology company, announced the issuance of two separate U.S. patents relating to the company‘s monoclonal antibody therapeutics. Patents No. 7,435,415 and No. 7,435,554 are both entitled “Monoclonal Antibodies and Cell Surface Antigens for the Detection and Treatment of Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC).“ The inventions cover methods for the detection of certain specific epitopes in the SCLC patient and for treating those patients with the company‘s monoclonal antibodies in a targeted manner. IMUC‘s lead monoclonal antibody product candidate, ICT-109, which has demonstrated encouraging preliminary data in pre-clinical studies, is projected by IMUC to enter clinical trials in 2010 for SCLC and pancreatic cancer indications.

A LUNG cancer patient forced to pay for all her NHS treatment is taking legal action against the health service.

Sue Bentley, from Usk, was forced to pay for all her NHS care – including chemotherapy – after she opted to pay for the drug Avastin privately.